Grit and Gratitude: New Year's Day & Full Moon in Cancer

I certainly don’t need to tell you that January 1st is one of the most significant days of the calendar, clearly because it STARTS  the calendar!

New Year’s Day is a big day, not just because it’s a national holiday and we get to sleep off the previous night’s hangover and then go shopping when we wake up—though yeah, that feels pretty good.

New Year’s Day is a big day because it’s a turning point and a mental shift; a spiritual ritual that’s observed even among the doggedly un-spiritual. Very few people can ignore the feeling in the air of regeneration, rebirth, forgiveness and another chance to get it right.


This is the time that we really buckle down to start over; we crack our knuckles, roll our necks and prepare for some hard work to produce our resolutions.
         

However…perhaps that’s why we struggle so much with our resolutions in the first place.


It is pretty much a cliché and a standard story:  We begin the New Year with resolutions firmly in place to improve this aspect of our lives, decrease that aspect of our lives, to start this and stop that. Yet, so many times, these resolutions fall flat, and not even in the final months of the year, but in the beginning! Polls declare time and time again that they rarely survive the first few months.


Why is that?


A hint to achieving greater success for ourselves can be found if we turn away from the social calendar and to the lunar calendar. On or about January 1st 2018 (depending on what part of the world you are in) marks the Full Moon in Cancer. This is the phase of the moon where the Sun illuminates her full face, appearing at her largest , fullest and most brilliant. We all know that the Full Moon is traditionally associated with being as auspicious time, but why?

         

The Full Moon is the climax of the waxing (increasing) half of the moon phase that begins with the New Moon. The moon, to our perspective, builds and builds from nothing to a tiny sliver to semi-circle to full glory. Every full moon is in an astrological sign, and this one is in the sign of Cancer.

         

Cancer is all about family, domesticity, emotions and security. The ruling planet of Cancer is, how ‘bout it, the Moon! This is all about femininity—that is, the spiritual essence of femininity which is all about surrender and attraction and going within and checking in with yourself.

         

The irony here is that the Full Moon is not the phase that best translates to aggressive and ambitious new beginnings and resolutions (that would be the New Moon). The Full Moon, in its round, “pregnant” state, is more about the feminine themes of release, surrender, gratitude and forgiveness.
         
         

At the Full Moon, it’s beneficial to take a look at our lives—as they are, flaws and all—and be grateful for all the good to be found. We also need to forgive what is not so good right now. So yes, we may have a smoking habit right now that we have resolved to get rid of in the New Year. That’s wonderful. For now, what can we be grateful for right now?

       

Appreciate the fact that we have the gift of seeing yet another year, when many others did not get this chance. Your health may not be perfect due to smoking for example, but be grateful that you are making the right decision for your health in the future. New Year’s is so often about listing what’s NOT going right and throwing energy into how to make things better. Let’s relax a moment and take some Full Moon energy at this time of year and make a list of everything that is good, especially those things that relate to your family and domestic life: your beautiful children, pets, your home that keeps you warm in this wintertime, your steady income source, your health, your beauty, your sexy, powerful body, your computer or smartphone that enables you to read this and so many other things…any and ALL of it!

        

Forgiveness is another aspect of this time that is given its shining moment now. Who do you need to forgive? Again, for the Full Moon in Cancer, family relationships are definitely something that may need to be revisited at this time. We can all do and say terrible things to each other, and sometimes the only way to heal—even when it’s not your fault—is to forgive. It takes courage to forgive, especially when you were greatly wronged. But forgiveness is taking back your power.
       
       

Again, who do you need to forgive? Do you need to forgive yourself?  Returning to the example, you may be beating yourself up again about that smoking habit, saying (for perhaps the 2nd year) that you are going to stop. You know what, good for you that you know you need to give it up for your health and personal satisfaction. BUT…forgive yourself. You are human. This habit has been a challenge for you, and it’s not easy. That’s ok. It doesn’t make you any less of an amazing person.  You are still blessed and loved, flaws and all.

         

So let’s turn to the Tarot and ask…How can we integrate and balance masculine New Year’s energy with highly feminine Full Moon in Cancer energy?


Card pulled: VIII of Coins.

       

Well, the VIII of Coins is traditionally about hard work and studying your craft. When I see this card in response to our question, I think about how challenging it can be to reconcile the very masculine and driven desire to achieve your resolutions with the very feminine acts of forgiveness and gratitude.



This is something that can take practice to do, and this is exactly what the VIII of Coins is all about: Practice makes perfect. Or at least very, very good.  :-)



Practice will help you become so much more successful in achieving your desires. There is undoubtedly one aspect that comes more naturally to you, and one that will be much more difficult for you. Here are a few steps to incorporate these into your resolution this year:

1. Make a list of what you’d love to achieve this year. Try to keep it to the Top 5 items that you ‘d most like to see brought into reality.  Under each item, write down just one first step to make towards each goal you have.
2. Make a list of what you are most grateful for, especially if they pertain to your family and home. List at least 20 items, if not more, and give at least one reason why for each one.
3. Finally, make a list of anyone that you may need to forgive, including yourself. Give family and friends special priority on this list. Under each one, if you agree to forgive and release, write down what they did, why you forgive them and then, if possible, burn the paper.

 
     

Notice which task was hardest. Most likely, the forgiveness aspect was hardest. If it was harder, make a note to work on that in the future. It can be incredibly difficult to forgive, but it is so empowering and freeing to release the slave-hold of resentment that binds us.
 
     

Here's to your best year yet! 

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